Europe & Eurasia Energy News Articles for December 20, 2012

Weekly collection of energy news articles for the region. Click on the links for access to original publications.

Albania

CEZ puts troubled Albanian unit on the block – (BNE) With the Albanian energy regulator due to rule on a request by the government to revoke CEZ's operating license in the country, the Czech utility said on December 17 that it is putting its troubled Albanian subsidiary up for sale. However, CEZ could find it tricky to negotiate a route out of the country…

Bulgarian President Opposes Recommended Nuclear Energy Policy – (Oil Price) As the global nuclear energy industry at present is recovering from the potential death blows of the 11 March 2011 earthquake and subsequent tsunami that destroyed Japan’s six reactor Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex, the battleground for nuclear power’s future seems increasingly to be shifting to Central and Eastern Europe…

Mechel sells Bulgarian CHPP Toplofikatsia Rousse for 27.7 mln euro – (Cogeneration) OJSC Mechel (RTS: MTLR) has signed an agreement to sell 100% of its combined heat and power plant (CHPP) Toplofikatsia Rousse to the private Bulgarian energy company Toplofikatsia Pleven for 27.7 million euro based on the value of share capital, Mechel said in a press release…

Bosnia

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Forum on solar energy to be held in Tuzla – (Balkans) Forum on solar energy, “Possibilities and prospects of solar energy in BiH” will be held today in Tuzla. The forum will take place in two segments, as panel discussions designed into three thematic sections and as an exhibition, demonstration workshop for the production of solar panels…

Poland's Rafako eyes energy projects in Bosnia and Serbia – (Balkans) Rafako, which has recently entered the short list of contractors for building Tuzla power station in Bosnia and Herzegovina, is also interested in the planned construction of two power units of a total capacity of up to 800 MW in Nikola Tesla power station in Serbia, Polish News Bulletin reported…

Italy's ABS wants more favourable terms for energy supply from HEP – (Dalje) The Italian Acciaierie Bertoli Safau (ABS) company, a division of the large industrial holding Danieli company and new owner of the Sisak Steel Mill in Croatia, recently launched a trial production run in the Sisak Steel Mill and before investing some EUR 100 it is necessary to resolve a series of problems, such as obtaining numerous permits and making a deal with the Croatian power company HEP about the steel mill's status as a large electricity consumer, was said after today's meeting between ABS officials and Sisal-Moslavina County Prefect Marina Lovric Merzel…

Macedonia

The Biggest Macedonian Energy Company Chose Grah Lighting LED Solutions – (Solid State Lighting design) Macedonian energy company Makpetrol has been continuing joint project with LED lighting manufacturer Grah Lighting, which they started together last year. The first petrol station along the highway Skopje–Gevgelija was an important stepping stone for further collaboration…

Heavy snow keeps Balkans in deep freeze – (the Miami Herald) Blizzards blocked roads, stranded villages, disrupted power supplies and temporarily shut down an airport in the Balkans on Tuesday, the fourth straight day of tough winter weather in the region of southeastern Europe…

Gazprom Neft Unit to Build Wind Farm in Serbia – (The Moscow Times) A Gazprom Neft-controlled energy company will help build Serbia's first wind farm, the company said. Naftna Industrija Serbia, which is 56.5 percent controlled by Gazprom Neft, signed a deal last week with Serbian Energowind to build a wind farm in Plandiste, Serbia…

Armenia

Gazprom increases price for Armenia – (The Messenger Online) Armenia’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister– Armen Movsisian, said on December 13, Russian state controlled company Gazprom is planning to increase the price of natural gas for Armenia…

Azerbaijan's energy potential discussed in Washington – (News.az) The US policy in the South Caucasus, Russia's role in the regional balance of power, the prospects for peace efforts in Karabakh and the EU Southern Corridor - these topics were the focus of discussion in Washington on Monday at an international conference organized by the Jamestown Foundation, reports The Voice of America…

SOCAR touts TANAP at Westminster meeting – (UPI) The president of Azerbaijan's state energy company SOCAR says it is ready to move ahead with a trans-Anatolian natural gas pipeline after parliamentary approval…

ADB ready to include alternative energy in its strategy on Azerbaijan– (abc.az) Baku, Fineko/abc.az. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is ready to include alternative energy in its strategy on Azerbaijan. ADB country representative Olli Noroyono has stated that use of renewable and alternative energy sources in view of its economic importance may be one of the priorities of the 5-year Country Partnership Strategy (CPS), which the Bank hopes to adopt in 2013…

Georgian Telasi company’s employees go on strike – (Trend) All offices of Tbilisi electricity distribution company Telasi, owned by the Russian company RAO UES were closed in Tbilisi on Tuesday. All the employees of the company, except those who ensure supply of electricity to the city and emergency crews, went on strike…

Director General of Georgian Telasi appointed – (Trend) The Supervisory Board of JSC Telasi confirmed the head of generating enterprises of the INTER RAO UES in Georgia, (Ltd Mtkvari Energy, JSC Hrami HPP-1 JSC and Hrami HPP-2) Devi Kandelaki as the new CEO, the company said…

Russia

The Russian Power Revolution – (Power) In recent years, while Europe and the U.S. grappled with the problem of securing future environmentally sound energy supplies, the booming economies of China, India, and Brazil stole the global power spotlight with frenzied activity to expand their power infrastructures to meet exploding demand. Meanwhile, the Russian Federation shares the predicaments of all these regions…

Turkey: Challenges in renewables – (Oxford Business Group) As the Turkish government drums up support for investment in renewable energy, international firms continue to face significant challenges in conducting environmental impact studies, securing funding and acquiring licences…

Anticipated Renewable Energy Targets for the Turkish Republic’s 100th Anniversary – (Balkanalysis) Turkey’s AKP government plans to base its election campaigning on the slogan “Turkey Is Ready: The Target is 2023.” The importance being given to the renewable energy sector by the government, which plans to accomplish impressive energy projects in time for the centennial anniversary of the Turkish Republic, is indicated clearly in the following quote..

Turkey's Energy Minister Says his Country is Environment Friendly – (Turkish Weekly) "Energy projects in Turkey are not realized despite the environment but with the environment. Almost 500 million tonnes of coal reserves have been discovered in Turkey recently, but they were not activated due to environmental concerns," Yildiz told a Turkey-Germany Renewable Energy Cooperation Forum in Istanbul…

Turkey privatisation plan boosted by sale – (FT) Turkey’s stuttering privatisation programme was given a well-needed boost with the sale on Friday of the country’s biggest regional electricity distribution company…

Ukraine cancels gas talks ahead of EU-Russia summit – (EurActiv) Ukraine's president pulled out of gas price talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin at the last minute on Tuesday (18 December), raising concern about the reliability of supplies to Europe before a Russia-EU summit…

21 billions attracted in Ukraine’s energy efficiency – (Forum) Ukraine has attracted 21 billion USD of investment funds in field of energy efficiency and renewable energy for the last two years, chairman of the State Agency for Energy Efficiency Mykola Pashkevych told a briefing before the Cabinet’s meeting, ForUm correspondent reports…

This program is made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of the United States Energy Association and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

Related Program

Most Viewed

United States Energy Association (USEA) is the U.S Member Committee of the World Energy Council, the UN-accredited global energy body that advises global energy leaders and countries on energy resource management. USEA’s team of international energy specialists work with the federal government, energy companies and energy ministers to build out energy infrastructure in developing countries. USEA also serves as a bipartisan advisory organization that represents 150 members across the U.S. energy sector, from the largest Fortune 500 companies to small energy consulting firms.